


Demons Beneath the Mountain

by orphan_account



Series: The Angel's Wish [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angels, Brother-Sister Relationships, Bullying, Character Death, Child Death, Curses, Dating, Demons, Execution, F/F, F/M, Female Frisk (Undertale), Fights, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Heavy Angst, Inspired By Undertale, Kidnapping, M/M, Male Chara (Undertale), Mute Frisk (Undertale), Orphans, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Siblings, Revolution, Souls, Suicide, The Void, Trauma, Twins, Undertale Saves and Resets
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-06-03 13:45:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19465225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Twin siblings, Chara and Frisk, have no one but each other. When the orphanage they grew up in is no longer safe for them, they travel to the mountain. After falling down, the twins encounter more than just monsters.The twins will have to overcome evil overlords, night terrors, and a curse that has plagued their family for generations. But will they survive their family's madness, or will they succumb to the will of the Angel?Or my attempt at an Undertale story.





	1. Prologue: Red-Eyed Children

It was a warm spring morning, the promise of summer in the air. Mt. Ebott, proud and tall enough to scrape across the sky, provided shade on the picnic ground resting at its base. The mountain itself was a popular destination for the people of this small country who were not paranoid about the mountain's history. There were many hiking trails around the mountain, and the picnic spot was one of many for weary hikers to rest or for families to enjoy a nice afternoon. It was plenty spacious, and people were laying about on towels while their children ran about, screeching and shooting each other with water guns. Laughter floated through the wind like the twinkling of bells. A bright yellow bus pulled up to the picnic area. The bus carried children from the nearby town of Westerly, all of whom were first graders. All of the children on board were buzzing with excitement at getting to spend the day having fun instead of being stuck in a stuffy old classroom learning about the horrors of math. The moment the bus came to a stop, nearly every child jumped up.

"Hold on, sit back down," The chaperone of this field trip, Mrs. Lovejoy, stood up. She was a small woman with the features of a little bird, and she talked sounded like chirping. Reluctantly, the children sat down. "Remember the rules. Everybody stay with your groups and listen to the tour guide. We're here to learn, not just to goof off," She said as a couple of children snickered.

"Okay, now form a single file line as we leave the bus."

The children did as told, leaving the bus as orderly as seven-year-olds could manage. The last to leave the bus, the children sitting alone in the very back, where two siblings. A pair of twins, holding each other's hands as they got up from their seat. The one taking the lead was the brother, his head held high and his eyes challenging. His sister was in step behind him, her eyes flickering around with both nervous and excited energy. The twins were both extraordinary in appearance. Their hair was the color of freshly fallen snow, and their eyes were as red as blood. They were pale skinned and thin, and their clothes hung loosely on their bodies. 

They exited the bus, and it didn't go unnoticed to them that the other children provided them with a wide berth. The sister glanced around sadly, tugging her brother's hand.

"Hm, what's wrong?" He asked.

The sister pointed around.

He scowled, "Don't pay attention to them. They're just being idiots."

The sister pulled her hand away, gesturing in practiced motions.

The brother shook his head, "No, they're not."

More practiced movements, this time with some frustration.

"What? No...okay, just listen to me," the brother grabbed his sister's hands, stopping her mid-motion. "Listen to me, Frisk. We're going to be fine. We are going to have fun today, and if they try anything, I'll just beat them up."

Frisk frowned, pulling her hands back and waving them through the air in front of her. _Don't you dare, Chara,_ she signed. _You behave._

Chara smirked, "Fine. But if some kids end up with bugs in their lunches, then it isn't my fault."

Frisk shoved him gently, smiling. 

The tour guide approached them, all dressed up in his boy's scout uniform and breaking his face with an obnoxiously large smile. Chara snickered at the sight at him, earning a soft pinch from his sister.

"Welcome children, to Ebott National Park," Captian Boy Scout stated in an overly excited voice, "Are you guys excited?"

The children shouted back, "YES!" Chara made jazz hands, making Frisk smile more.

"That's what I want to hear," Captain Boy Scout encouraged. "Now, can any of you tell me about the legend of Mt. Ebott."

Several children raised their hands, bouncing up and down on their toes. Frisk raised her hand up too. 

Captain Boy Scout pointed towards her, "Yes, you young lady, in the back."

Frisk beamed as all of the children's faces turned towards her. As she raised her hands up, the other children snickered.

"Frisk can't answer," One child called out, "She can't talk." Some children laughed.

Frisk froze, uncertainty dancing across her eyes. Chara scowled. Captain Boy Scout suddenly looked sheepish, "Oh, I'm sorry, dear. Some else can..."

"I'll talk for her," Chara called back. Frisk beamed at him.

Captain Boy Scout looked uncertain, then sighed, "Alright then."

Frisk began signing, and Chara followed along as best he could. "Okay, so...Long ago, there lived two races: monsters and humans. They lived together in harmony until one day war broke out between the two races. This was the Monster/Human war. The monsters were winning the war because their magic was more powerful than the humans'. All seemed lost until, one day, the human king was visited by an angel. The angel gave the human king a great power, and this allowed him to turn the tide in the war. The humans forced the monsters into the mountain, and...sorry Frisk, could you repeat that last part?"

Frisk repeated her motions, slower this time.

"Oh, right. And then the human king and his wizards placed a spell on the mountain, trapping the monsters inside for all of eternity."

"That's correct," Captain Boy Scout clapped his hands together. "Well done."

Frisk blushed at the compliment.

"Now," Captain Boy Scout said, "We've got all sorts of fun activities planned for you guys, so let's get started!"

Fun activities ended up including walking on one of the hiking trails, a scavenger hunt, and a survival skills lesson. Frisk was engaged in every activity, while Chara found new and inventive ways to sneak off. He gave Mrs. Lovejoy a heart attack when she spotted him climbing a tree. She warned him that if he acted out one more time, that he would sit out for the rest of the trip. 

Lunchtime approached, and the twins sat in the grass, away from the other children. Not by choice, but the other children had made it very clear that they weren't welcome. Which was fine with Chara. He'd much rather be with his sister than around those sniveling snot creatures. However, the sad look on his sister's face did bother him.

Frisk was picking at her lunch, not really eating the peanut butter and jelly sandwich that Sister Anna had prepared for her. Chara hadn't even touched his lunch and instead was pulling wildflowers out of the ground. He wove them together, his fingers working diligently. Finally, he held his creation up, proud.

"Hey, Frisk."

She raised her head up, looking over at her brother. Her eyes widened when she saw what he had in his outstretched hands. It was a small crown of flowers. She gazed at it with awe. 

"For you," He said, leaning over to place it on top of her head. Frisk eagerly bowed her head. The flower crown fit snuggly on top of her white curls.

Chara smiled, "There. A crown for the princess."

She beamed, pulling her brother in for a hug.

"Okay, okay." Chara patted her back awkwardly.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, when some of the other children decided that they looked far too content. 

"Hey, look. It's Creepy Chara and Freaky Frisk." A chubby little boy named Myles approached them, his two friends standing like bodyguards at his side. Frisk shrunk into herself when she saw them, and Chara scooted over so that he was sitting between them.

"Mind your own business, Myles," Chara snarled, red eyes gleaming.

"Y'know, my dad says that monsters had red eyes," Myles pointed out. "So I guess that old king guy didn't lock _all_ monsters away."

Frisk grasped Chara's shirt, clutching it tightly.

"Yeah, so you've told us, repeatedly." Chara shooed them, "Get lost." 

"Or what?" Myles said defiantly, hands on his hips. "You can't tell me what to do. You girls are just freaks."

"I'm a boy," Chara pointed out.

"No, you're not. You're hair's too long. Only girls have hair that long."

"Your logic astounds me," Chara rolled his eyes. His hair barely even reached his shoulders. "Just leave us alone."

"You can't tell me what to do," Myles snarled. "You're just a red-eyed freak." Stomping over, Myles reached over and plucked the flower crown off of Frisk's head. Frisk reached out to grab it, but Myles moved away. Chara stood up, "Give it back."

"Not until you admit that you and your sister are monsters," Myles held the flower crown above his head tauntingly. Chara tried to grab it, but every time he tried, Myles would move just out of his reach.

"I said give it back."

"And I said no."

This game of chase continued for a while, much to Chara's frustration. Finally, Myles sneered, "You want your stupid flowers back? Here." Almost in slow motion, Chara watched as Myles threw the crown on the ground and stomped on it. He stomped on it over, and over, and over again. Chara grabbed it, holding the destroyed crown mournfully in his hands. Frisk burst into tears.

Myles sneered at her, "Aw, is the baby crying? Wah, wah, wah." He laughed, his friends joining in.

Chara's blood was roaring in his ears. With a loud cry, Chara hurled himself at Myles, knocking them both to the ground. Chara sat on top of him, raining his fists down upon the boy. Myles's friends grabbed Chara, yanking him off and began to punch him back. They soon became a tangled pile of boys kicking, punching, and biting one another. Frisk stood over them helplessly, frantically signing for them to stop.

"WHAT ARE YOU BOYS DOING?" Mrs. Lovejoy screamed. She and Captain Boy Scout ran over, pulling the boys apart. Chara defiantly gave one boy one last kick.

"What is the meaning of this?" Mrs. Lovejoy yelled. Myles quickly pointed at Chara, "It's Chara's fault. He tried to steal our lunches and beat us up."

"Liar!" Chara yelled back. "You started it!"

"Look, Mrs. Lovejoy, he punched me," Myles pointed towards his swelling eye, his voice wobbling.

"And he bit me," One of his friends cried, holding out his arm for her to see.

"You bunch of..." Chara struggled to think of a good enough insult.

"Enough!" Mrs. Lovejoy yelled. "All of you." Taking in a deep breath, she turned to Chara, "I told you, if you acted out one more time, that you would be sitting out for the rest of the day."

"But..."

"No 'buts'. You will sit in the picnic tables and you will not move until it is time to go home. While there, I want you to think about what you did wrong. Now, go."

Chara wanted to stay and argue that he hadn't done anything wrong. It was Myles and his friends' fault. But Captain Boy Scout pulled him away, "Come on, kid."

Reluctantly, Chara let himself be pulled away. Myles and his friends snickered.

"Oh, you three aren't out of the woods yet," Mrs. Lovejoy turned to them, and they shrunk under her gaze. Chara smirked.

Chara sat at the picnic table for what felt like an eternity, contemplating how unfair the situation was. Everyone else got to go have fun, and he had to just sit there. Even worse, Frisk wasn't there with him. She was stuck with all the other stupid kids. They better not do anything mean to her, or else Chara would say _screw it_ to the teacher's punishment and run over to beat them up.

Chara was keeping himself from dying of boredom by squashing ants with his finger when a gentle breeze blew by him. _Chara._

Chara shot up straight, turning his head around to see who had called out to him. But no one was paying him any attention. Another breeze blew by. _Chara._

Chara shivered, chills shooting down his spine. He suddenly felt restless, more so than he had been. He stood up, hearing it again. _Chara._ The voice was soft, almost like a whisper. It sounded so close like someone was talking into his ear. _Come here._

Without even realizing it, Chara started moving. The voice urged him on, _Yes. Come closer._ Gulping, Chara continued, feeling as if something was pulling him forward. He walked out of the clearing, and onto a hiking trail that led up the mountain. _Come here. Come to me._

His heart pounded in his ears as that invisible rope pulled him closer. _Approach the mountain, Chara_. The ground almost seemed to shift underneath his feet. It felt as if something was wiggling beneath the ground. Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped around Chara's waist, pulling him back. With an _oof,_ he landed on the ground next to whoever had grabbed him. He gapped at the person, "Frisk? What are you doing?"

_I saw you get up_ , she signed, breathing heavily. _You walked right past the sign saying 'Off Limits'._

Had he? "Sorry, I didn't notice it."

_You weren't supposed to move,_ Frisk scolded him. _Mrs. Lovejoy's going to be made at you._

"Sorry, sorry." Chara apologized. 

_Why were you walking this way, anyway?_

Chara rubbed the back of his neck. "Well...this is going to sound weird, but I think the mountain was calling me."

Frisk gave him a blank look. Then, _did you hit your head or something?_

"What, no! I swear, it was like the wind was calling my name."

Frisk raised an eyebrow.

Chara huffed, "Nevermind, let's just go back to the group."

Frisk nodded, standing up and holding out her hand. Chara took it, letting her help him up. They walked back to the picnic area together, hand in hand. Chara gave the mountain one last troubled look. For a moment there, he could have sworn that he heard the snarls of monsters coming from beneath the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm trying this story out, just to see how it goes. I'm hoping to work on this alongside my other stories. 
> 
> Let me know what you guys think, or if I should continue this. Hopefully, until next time lovelies!


	2. 'Till Death Do Us Part

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An older Chara and Frisk face the possibility of separation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, it's me again. I'm trying to get the first three chapters out as soon as possible so I can see if this is something I want to continue.

Frisk was sitting in her fourth period AP Biology class when the intercom came on, _"Mr. Enders? Please send Frisk to the principal office."_ Frisk froze, her pencil pausing from finishing a circle around her answer. A couple of students looked up at her, snickering and whispering, _"Oooooooh, Frisk is in trouble."_ Frisk's only thought was, _what did Chara do this time?_

Mr. Enders looked up from his newspaper to look at Frisk, pushing his glasses back up his nose. He waved at her, "Well, go on then. You can finish the worksheet tomorrow."

Slightly flustered, Frisk quickly collected her things, stuffing her binder into her nearly bursting bookbag. She walked out of the classroom as quietly as she could and walked down the hallway of the high school. Nerves were bubbling in her stomach. Oh god, what could her brother have possibly done to get her called to the office again? This was the fourth time this semester alone. The last time had been when they had just come back from Christmas break and Chara had snuck into the teacher's lounge and replace all of their food with cafeteria food. One teacher had gotten sick as a result. Chara's defense had been, _well, if they expect us to handle it, then they should be able to do the same._

Frisk kept her head down as she passed the lady at the front desk, her white curls bouncing. Dread settling like lead in her stomach, Frisk opened the door to the principal's office. Inside was Mr. Sterling, dressed as if he expected to go to the golf court shortly after this. Sitting in front of the principal's desk was Chara, trying his best to discreetly sink off of the chair and into the floor. He turned his head towards her as she walked in, looking more annoyed than anything.

Mr. Sterling motioned for her to sit down, "Frisk, please have a seat."

Frisk did as she was told, keeping her eyes on Chara the entire time. _What did you do this time?_ She signed. Chara didn't respond, merely huffing.

Mr. Sterling looked towards Chara, eyebrows raised. "What did she say?" He asked.

Chara gave him a deadly glare before saying, "She asked what I did this time."

"Ah," Mr. Sterling. "Yes, of course. You see, Frisk, your brother got into a fight this afternoon with two other students. He gave one a black eye and knocked out the other one's tooth."

Frisk gave her brother an exasperated look. _Really, Chara? Again? Really?_

Chara pretended not to notice her furious signing. 

"This is the fifth time this year he's gotten into a fight like this. I've already suspended him twice, and I don't even know how many times he's received detention at this point. If this behavior continues, I'll have no choice but to expel him."

Chara looked almost pleased with this. However, Frisk frantically shook her head, signing quickly. _Please don't expel him. I promise he'll do better, I promise. He won't do anything like this again._

Chara snorted. Frisk glared at him.

Mr. Sterling tilted his head, "I'm sorry...could you please tell me what she said?"

With a loud, exasperated sigh, Chara said, "She begged you not to expel me. She promised that I'd do better."

"And will you? Do better?" Mr. Sterling asked with a raised eyebrow.

In response, Chara merely shrugged. Frisk stared at him, her disappointment written clearly across her face. Chara had the decency to look ashamed. 

Mr. Sterling sighed, shaking his head. "Okay, Chara. For your sister's sake, I'm going to give you one last shot. You get into trouble again this school year, and I will expel you. For now, you are suspended for two weeks."

Chara rolled his eyes, "Yeah, okay."

The bell rang through the office and the halls.

Mr. Sterling sat up straight, "Well, that's the end of the day. You two can go home now."

Chara was out of the door before Mr. Sterling had even finished talking. Frisk looked at Mr. Sterling apologetically. She quickly signed thank you, even though he couldn't understand. She then rushed out the door, running to keep up with her brother.

-

_Why do you do these things, Chara_? Frisk signed as they sat on the bus. The school bus carried children of all ages, from the rowdy high schoolers to the equally rowdy elementary kids. Things could get rather loud, so she wasn't so surprised to see Chara with his headphones on. It rarely bothered her, since her brother only needed his eyes in order to see what she was saying. However, today, he seemed intent on ignoring her, blasting music as loudly as he could. Annoyed, Frisk snatched the headphones off of his head.

"What the hell, Frisk?" Chara snapped, crimson eyes trained on her.

_I'm trying to talk to you and you are ignoring me_ , Frisk signed furiously, hiding the headphones behind her bag.

"You never talk. You just gesture with your hands." Chara muttered.

_You know full well what I mean_ , She signed.

"Yeah, yeah. I know," Chara seemed to fold into himself.

Frisk leaned towards him, eyebrows furrowed. _What's wrong? You've been acting worse than usual all year._

"Maybe I'm just realizing my full monstrous potential."

_That isn't funny,_ Frisk pouted. _Is that what's bothering you? Are people calling you a monster again? You know it isn't true._

"Frisk, people have been calling us monsters our entire lives," Chara said with a defeated laugh. "I've gotten pretty used to it."

_Being used to it, and being okay with it are two very different things._

Chara snorted, ruffling Frisk's hair. "See, this is why you're the smart one."

Frisk swatted his hand away, combing her hair back down with her fingers. _You're smart too._

"Nah, I couldn't take all the classes you do without having a mental breakdown. Besides, I've never made above a C+ in my life."

_You could if you would take school seriously._

"Oh, dear sister mine, I don't take anything seriously," Chara responded, leaning back.

Frisk rolled her eyes. _You do too. And stop trying to change the subject, I'm not going to let it go._

"Damn, you're catching on to all of my tricks," Chara said, suddenly looking anywhere but her.

Frisk frowned. _Come on, Char. Talk to me. You know you can always talk to me_.

He took in a deep breath. "Yeah, I know. Just, can we wait until we get back home? I'd rather not discuss this here."

With a frown, Frisk nodded.

"Good. Now, give me back my headphones, you thief."

They ended up turning it into a game of Frisk keeping Chara's headphones as far from him as she could while he tried to wrestle them back from her. By the time they made it to their stop, they were both laughing so hard that they couldn't breath (well, at least Chara was. Frisk was doing that weird thing where she was shaking with laughter without making any actual noise).

The bus let them off at the front steps of Little Hearts Orphanage: Home for Lost Girls and Boys. This not-really home had housed Frisk and Chara ever since they were infants when their mother abandoned them on the front doorstep. Sister Agatha loved to tell them that it was because they looked so freakish, but Frisk liked to entertain the thought that their mother was actually a kind woman who simply hadn't been able to take care of them. As a little girl, Frisk often fantasized about the day their mother returned for them and welcomed them back with open, accepting arms.

Little Hearts Orphanage was an old building with peeling paint and wooden floors that always creaked. Frisk was pretty sure that the reason Sister Agatha hadn't paid for prepares was because she preferred it this way. It allowed her to know if any of the children were sneaking out at night. The building had a barely functioning kitchen and living area, and two large bedrooms that housed too many children all from the ages of a few months old to nearly eighteen. The building was run by two sisters, Sister Agatha, and Sister Anna. Sister Agatha, or Sister Hagatha as Chara liked to call her, was as vile a woman as any. Her long grey hair was pulled back so tightly that it stretched the skin of her face, which was locked into a permanent scowl. She had a crooked nose that had a wart growing on it with a single hair hanging from it. She always wore black, as if she was a part of a permanent funeral. Sister Anna, on the other hand, was the friendliest woman on the face on the earth. Her grey hair was braided down her back and she had the gentle face of a grandmother. She wore bright, floral dresses and made all sorts of special treats for the children. She would have been the perfect person if she didn't allow her sister to walk all over her. Sister Anna was soft-spoken and kind, which lead to her bowing to the will of her sister on more than one occasion. 

Chara and Frisk walked up the creaking old steps of the orphanage and walked to the living area, a couple of the younger kids running past them, playing hide-n-go-seek. Chara plopped down onto the old couch, shifting uncomfortably as a spring dug into his back. Frisk sat down next to him, setting her bag down on the floor. The t.v. was playing, reporting the latest news on a missing person case.

_"...twelve-year-old Lucas Jones, who was last seen one month ago near Mt. Ebott. His father, Matthew Jones, is the older brother of Council member Gregory Jones, more formally known as the Keeper of Justice. Over the past nine years, each of the Council members has experienced the disappearance of a family member, all under the age of eighteen. Each of these disappearances has occurred near Mt. Ebott, and foul play is suspected. Has someone been targeting the families of the Council members? Due to these concerns, the national park has been closed to the public for the time being. However, Council candidate Victor Trachis has some interesting theories into these disappearances and the old legends of Mt. Ebott."_

_The news anchor turned to the man sitting beside her. His black hair was slicked back, and his suit was dark red. He stood proud and tall, with the serious face of a businessman._

_"Mr. Trachis, would you please explain to us your theories concerning the mountain's legends?" She asked._

_"Well, you see, Ms. Marriott, the mountain has long been the center of myths concerning monsters, kings, and angels. You see, I grew up in a small town at the base of the mountain, one that very much believed in the myth of monsters. They feared that one day, the monsters would return and it is possible that is what we are witnessing..."_

"Must be nice," Chara muttered, staring blankly at the television.

Frisk blinked at him, shocked. _What is, being on t.v and talking like a conspiracy theorist?_

Chara snorted, his eyes flickering from her to the television. "No. Having people that would miss you. I can't imagine what that would be like."

Frisk reached over, gently moving her brother's face so that he was looking at her. _Chara, don't say that. I would miss you._

"And I would miss you." Chara said, "But if we both disappeared, no one would care. It would be like we were never even here."

_Is that what's bothering you?_ Frisk asked. _That we're orphans?_

"Kind of," Chara took in a deep breath, his red eyes focusing on Frisk. "Listen, Frisk, I think we should go through with Plan Z."

Frisk froze. Plan Z was a last-ditch plan, one that Frisk never really wanted to follow through. With trembling hands, Frisk signed, _What?_

"Just, hear me out," Chara maintained eye-contact. "We don't belong here in Westerly. We never have. The people here look at us with such disdain, like we're demons or something. All because of our hair and eyes. We're not welcome here."

Frisk shook her head. _That's not true. This is our home._

"Not once we turn eighteen," Chara said bitterly. "Then we'll get kicked out of Little Hearts and we'll be left to fend for ourselves. What if I can't protect you? I don't want you to be stuck on the streets for the rest of your life."

 _Chara, that's not going to happen_.

"Frisk, we're already sixteen. We have two more birthdays at best, and then we're left with nothing. But if we leave now, we can get ahead of them. It'll be our choice, not theirs."

_We're not running away, Chara._

"Why not? Every day we wait, we lose more control over our future. We can leave tonight, and make our way to Ebott City. They have shelters in the city that have no choice but to take us in."

_We can't live like that Chara._

"It'll only be for a little while." Chara persisted. "Only until I can get a job. Then, I can support us. We'll have everything we need."

_Why can't we just wait until we're eighteen?_

"No. The longer we stay here, the worse things will get. It started out with just name-calling and hair pulling. Now, I have to fight every day just to keep people away from us, from _you_. What if someone decides to take it even further and comes after us with a gun?"

_Was that why you got into a fight today?_ Frisk furrowed her eyebrows. _People were threatening us again._

"Yeah," Chara snarled. "They pushed me up against a locker and told me how I'd be better off dead. Then they told me how cute you'd be if you weren't so unnatural. They told me about the things they would do to you, and that they'd make me watch. I lost it."

Frisk paled.

Chara nodded. "Yeah, that bad. You keep saying that things will get better, but they aren't. You think that these people have some good in them, but they don't. We need to start again, somewhere else. I'm not going to wait until someone hurts you in a way that can't be undone."

Frisk bit her bottom lip, contemplating. Then, she raised her hands, _Chara, listen to me. Let's not be rash about this. We need to think this through. Let's wait until you've calmed down, then we'll talk about it. Okay?_

Chara pulled away from her slightly, visibly closing down. "Yeah, fine."

Frisk's heart broke a little. She wanted to hug her brother, so she did. She pulled him close and tried to convey through it that the world wasn't as bleak as he thought he was. There were good people in this world. Just because he couldn't see them, doesn't mean they weren't there. He held onto her, tightly. It was as if he was afraid that she would disappear.

They stayed like that for a little while. Then, Sister Anna walked into the room. "Oh, Frisk, I've been looking for you. Do you mind helping me for a second? I'm trying to bake some cookies." 

Frisk nodded, smiling widely. She got up. She looked back at Chara. _Are you coming?_

Chara shook his head, "Nah, I'm going to watch this for a second. I want to see if good 'ole Trachis can out-crazy himself."

Frisk smirked. _Okay. Let me know if he says anything good._

"You got it."

Frisk left her brother, failing to notice the troubled look that crossed his face.

-

_His body was weak. He knew that it wouldn't be long before it failed him completely. But he couldn't stop now. He had come too far to quit._

_He was in the gardens, the grand columns rising to the cave's ceiling._ _He was surrounded by golden flowers, which he was busy ripping from the ground and stuffing into his mouth. It hurt, oh by the stars it hurt. Every nerve in his body begged him to stop. But he knew he couldn't. This was the only way. He wasn't sure why he thought that, but he knew it to be true._

_"Chara!" Someone called his name, sounding worried and afraid. He knew that voice, but he didn't know from where. All he knew was that the person was very important to him. Someone very dear._

_Someone grabbed his shoulders, turning him around to face them. He couldn't see their face. They were obscured by shadows. All he could focus on was the golden locket hanging around their neck. Chara was sure that he had a matching one around his own neck._

_"What are you doing?" The person sobbed, and Chara immediately thought: crybaby. "Is this why you're sick? Why are you doing this?"_

_Chara smiled, even though everything hurt. He lifted his hand to cup the mystery person's face. Their cheek felt weird like there wasn't skin there but fur. It felt wet from the person's tears._

_"I'm doing this for you, Azzy," Chara said, but who was Azzy? Chara was sure he didn't know anyone by that name. He continued to smile, even as golden petals and blood dripped from his mouth. "This is the only way. I'm going to set you free."_

Chara woke with a start, breathing heavily and clutching his chest. He had the strange feeling that something should be hanging around his neck, but he couldn't remember what. He was covered with sweat, and he had tossed all of his sheets onto the ground. He took in a deep, shaky breath.

Dammit. Another nightmare.

Even as the details of the dream started to fade from Chara's mind, he was left with a sense of unease. It was always like this, whenever he had these dreams. He had been getting them ever since he was seven-years-old. Ever since that time he thought he heard a voice coming from the mountain, calling his name. The dreams had their differences. Sometimes, he could look up and see crystal blue skies, and other times all he could see were stalactites. Sometimes he was eating flowers, and other times he was being laid down on them. However, the most consistent thing about the dreams was that he was usually in pain. 

For a moment, Chara considered sneaking into the girl's room and waking up Frisk. He did that when they were younger and the nightmares frightened Chara beyond reason. He would wake her up and they would sneak to their special secret place in the attic. Then they'd look up through the skylight and make up stories for each star they saw. 

However, Chara quickly shut the thought down. He was sixteen years old, dammit. He should be able to handle his own problems without having to trouble his sister. So, Chara got up from his bed and snuck out of the boy's room without waking up any of the other snoring, drooling boys. Chara was an expert of sneaking around, having spent years avoiding the creaking floorboards of the orphanage. God forbid Sister Hagatha heard him sneak out after lights out. She'd beat him so bad his whole body would change colors.

Speak of the devil, and they shall appear. As Chara was sneaking his way down the stairs and towards the kitchen to grab a cookie, he could hear the old witch's voice coming from the very place he had been sneaking too. He quickly finished his descent and pressed his body against the wall next to the doorway. Inside, he could hear Sister Hagatha and Sister Anna talking.

"...suspended from school again, Anna. I swear to you, that boy is a menace." The old crone spat. Ah, she must be talking about him, one of her top favorite things to complain about.

"He's a teenager, Agatha." Her sister tried to appease her. "He's just going through a phase."

"Bah, he's been like this since the moment he was left here. The boy was born rotten."

"He's just a little troubled is all. He just wants the attention."

Chara rolled his eyes.

"He's a bad influence on the other children. They think if he can get away with it, then they can do the same. Before we know it, we'll have complete anarchy on our hands. The boy has got to go."

Chara froze.

"Please, Agatha. Let's just consider this for a moment. Chara and Frisk have lived here since they were babies..."

"Oh, the girl can stay. The little brat is quiet and can't talk back. Just how I like them."

"They won't want to be separated."

"They won't have a say in the matter. They are under our jurisdiction, and what we say goes. The boy will be sent to Rivervale, as far from here as we can get him."

"Please Agatha..."

"I've made up my mind. I'll be calling the people there in the morning. I hear the folks of the Brotherhood beat their boys to keep them in line. Goodness knows the boy needs a good beating. That'll straighten him up real quick."

Silence, then, "If that is what you want, Agatha."

"It is."

"Then I'll have him pack his things in the morning."

"You'd better. I'm burning anything he leaves behind."

Chara backed away from the wall, hearing footsteps approaching. He hid beneath the stairs as Sisters Hagatha and Anna left the kitchen and went up the stairs. Their footsteps sounded like thunder above his head. Or perhaps that was the rapid beating of his heart in his ears. Damn them, damn them all.

Once Chara was sure that they were gone, he hurried up the stairs as quietly as he could. He then made a beeline for the girl's room, sneaking inside. He made his way to the bed on the far right, where Frisk was sleeping. He knelt down by her side, shaking her shoulder.

"Frisk," he whispered. "Frisk, wake up."

Bleary-eyed, Frisk peered up at him. She opened and closed her mouth, raising her hands. _Chara? What are you doing up?_

"We need to go to our special place."

_Why? Did you have another nightmare?_

"Just come with me. I'll explain once we're there."

Clearly confused, Frisk just nodded her head, getting up from her bed.

Like thieves in the night, the two of them silently snuck out of the room and up the stairs to the attic. The attic was filled with several cardboard boxes filled with Sister Hagatha's "valuable" antiques. It was chokingly dusty, filled with cobwebs and mousetraps. The skylight above them let the moonlight flow into the room.

Chara made his way to the back of the room, where all of his stuff was hidden. There were two hiking bags, along with several water bottles and canned foods. There were other things like rope, clothes, a pocket knife, and a couple wads of cash. Chara started packing everything into the bags.

Frisk stared at him. She tapped his shoulder, making him look back at her. She signed, _What is all this?_

"This is Plan Z."

Frisk shook her head. _Not this again..._

"Frisk. They're going to send me away."

Frisk froze, and for a second, Chara was afraid that she stopped breathing. With trembling hands, she signed _Who?_

"The boogyman, who do you think?" Chara snapped. "The freakin hag and her sister."

_But...Sister Anna wouldn't let..._

"Well, she certainly didn't put up much of a fight," Chara muttered.

Frisk stood there in silence, looking utterly lost. With a sigh, Chara stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders. Reluctantly, she met his gaze.

"Listen to me, Frisk. We don't have a choice anymore. We have to leave tonight, or they are going to send me away and we won't be able to see each other again. Do you want that?"

Frisk shook her head, her eyes gleaming.

"Then we have to go. We'll head for Ebott City, or anywhere you want as long as we're together. Nothing else matters, not as long as we're with each other."

Frisk was as still as a statue. Then, she nodded. _Yes. We stay together, no matter what._

Chara sighed with relief, pulling her close. She rubbed his back and he ruffled her wild bed hair. Chara knew that no matter what happened in the future, they'd be just fine as long as they had each other. It had been that way since birth, and it would be that way until they left this disgusting world behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I finished this in record time, so I hope it still came out okay. We're getting closer to the infamous fall, and I can't wait to write my spin on the Underground and its inhabitants. 
> 
> Translation: I'm really looking forward to writing Sans.
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments. I'm still trying to determine if this is something I should invest my time in. Thanks, and until next time lovelies!


	3. The Valley of Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk and Chara come across a rather strange village.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I am on a writing spree right now. I'll probably calm down after this story has a couple of more chapters under its belt.

It wasn't even noon yet and Chara was already drenched in sweat. Even in the morning, the sun bore down on him and his sister as they walked on the small dirt road. He couldn't even imagine what it'd be like once the sun was fully in the sky. The trees on either side of them provided some shade at the very least.

Chara groaned as he swatted off another mosquito. He should have stolen some bug spray from the convenience store or something. He felt a tug on his sleeve and saw Frisk had walked up beside him. Her short white hair was pulled back into a small ponytail. Sweat was beaded on her neck. Her blue and purple striped t-shirt was darkened with her sweat. Honestly, it was faring better than Chara's own green and yellow striped one.

She smiled cheekily, _Having fun yet?_

"Ha, ha. Very funny."

_I think even the flies are sweating._

"Can they sweat?"

Frisk shrugged.

They had been walking for at least two hours. The money had been enough to get them a bus ride all the way to Mt. Ebott, but after that, they had to walk. The National Park was also closed, so they had to take the long way around the mountain. Chara ran a hand through his sweat soaked hair. It would be at least a day or two before they even reached Ebott City at this rate. 

The trail they walked on began to narrow and then opened up into a clearing. Now, as far as the eye could see, there was a sea of golden flowers. They danced in the wind, waving back and forth on either side of the road as the wind blew across the landscape. Chara felt his throat constrict. 

Frisk stared in wide-eyed wonder. _Wow,_ she signed. _It's so pretty. Look at all the flowers, Chara._

Chara swallowed. "Yeah. Pretty."

Frisk walked over and sniffed a few. She looked back at Chara, beaming. He stared at the flowers mournfully, "Come on. Let's keep moving."

They continued to walk through the valley and it wasn't long before buildings came into view.

Frisk clapped her hands. _Maybe we can find a building with an air conditioner, huh?_ She elbowed her brother. Chara blinked, seemingly snapping out of a trance.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure."

Frisk frowned. _Are you okay? You're acting more weird than usual._

Chara shook his head, "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just the pollen, it's getting to my head."

Frisk rolled her eyes. _Yeah, sure._

Chara and Frisk approached the town. As they got closer, a heavy sense of unease began to weigh down on Chara's shoulders. They were way too close to the town for it to be as quiet as it was. Chara had expected to hear the hustle and bustle of an active town. Maybe he was too used to the loud, ever-present noises of the city. Still, he should at least be hearing some conversations being carried in the wind, or the sound of people moving about. But there was nothing. Nothing but the sound of flies and the wind.

The twins entered the town, passing by a faded sign that read, "Grace Town" in elaborate, fancy writing. There was no one in the streets. A dog passed in front of them, panting and so skinny that its ribs were showing. Frisk tried to reach over to pet it, but it growled at them menacingly. They both backed off, however, Frisk still left it a can of sausages. The poor thing ate as if it hadn't in years.

They looked into the windows of shops. They're signs read "Open", however, there was no one inside. Chara gave the door a try and was pleased to find the shop unlocked. He went in and immediately started raiding the shelves. He picked up a pack of twinkies when something hard hit his head. He yelped, looking down to see a can of sardines at his feet. He looked up to see his sister still in the mid-throw position.

"What the hell was that for?"

_You can't just steal,_ she signed angrily. _These belong to someone._

With a groan, Chara lifted his head up. "Hey," he yelled. "Is it okay if we take the food?"

Nothing but silence greeted him.

He smiled at his sister. "There, you see. They said we could."

_No, they didn't. No one responded. There's no one here._

"Exactly. There's no one here, so no one cares."

_Well, I care._ Frisk crossed her arms across her chest.

"And I don't."

She scowled. _I won't eat it._

Chara looked at her, then at the packet in his hands, then back at her. With a sigh, he put them back. "Fine, have it your way."

They walked out of the store, with Frisk having a rather pleased expression on her face. They ended up wandering around, searching for any sign of human life. There was a house with the door flung open. The entered, seeing that everything was covered in a thin sheen of dust. Chara went up the stairs of the house, seeing that there were two bedrooms. One was clearly a child's room, with pink walls and a dollhouse in the corner. A sad little teddy bear laid on the floor in the center of the room. The other bedroom must be the parents, and there wasn't much that stood out about it. Except for the side room off of the bedroom. Chara opened it, expecting to find a closet. He was taken off guard by what he saw. The room looked like an altar. There was a table on the fall wall that had a bowl sitting on top of it surrounded by candles. The walls were covered with red and black banners, each one with the same image of a man slaying some kind of horned beast. 

"Oooookay," Chara muttered. "That's not creepy at all."

Chara slowly closed the door to the side room. He walked out of the bedroom, where Frisk was exiting the child's room. She held the teddy bear in her hand. She looked up at Chara, tucking the little bear underneath her arm. _Was there anything in there?_

Chara shook his head. "Nah."

Frisk frowned. _What happened here?_

"I...I don't know. To be honest, it's kinda freaking me out a little."

Frisk nodded.

"We should keep moving. See if we can't find anything else."

Again, Frisk nodded. 

Each house they investigated seemed to be in a competition to out-creep the last one. In one house, Chara found a collection of human skulls. Everyone needed a hobby, he supposed. In another, he found an entire cabinet filled with fancy jars. Each one of them was filled with dust. In nearly every house, Chara found those red and black banners. Chara was starting to have a sneaking suspicion about the inhabitants of this town.

As they got closer to the town's center, Chara began to notice the smell. At first, it was subtle and Chara could believe that he was imagining it. Then it got stronger. It was an awful, foul stench. It made Chara's nostrils burn and his stomach turn. 

Frisk wrinkled her nose, lifting the collar of her shirt to cover her nose. She signed, _What is that smell?_

"I have no idea, but I'm starting to taste it." Chara gagged.

They finally made their way to the center of town. There they found a large church-like building. Its windows were covered in some much grime that Chara couldn't even see inside it. The front doors were left slightly ajar. The smell was even more intense. Using all of his strength, Chara pried the door open and was immediately hit by a wave of the foul odor. Coughing, Chara peering inside and his eyes widened. Beside him, Frisk took one look and paled. Her mouth hung agape and she covered it with her hands, falling down to her knees.

Inside were bodies. Dozens of them. Some were lying on the benches, some of them nearly falling off. Several were completely on the floor in weird angles and positions. Some hung by their necks from the ceiling fans. Several were clustered together, holding onto each other in death. There were also a couple that clearly belonged to small children, clutched in the dead arms of their parents. They were all rotten, half-flesh and half-bone. Flies flew around their bodies, making themselves at home. Chara could see that some had eggs laid on and in them. 

He couldn't do it anymore. He turned away, hands on his knees. He gasped for breath. Beside him, Frisk continued to stare with wide eyes, tears streaming down her face.

Well, that was one mystery solved.

_We should bury them,_ Frisk signed with trembling hands. 

Chara shook his head, "Do you see how many bodies there are? It'd take us forever to bury them."

_I don't care,_ She signed stubbornly. _We can't just leave like them._

Thunder boomed in the distance. Chara looked up to see that their day of once clear skies was about to draw to an end. Dark, menacing clouds loomed in the distance, rapidly approaching. 

Chara sighed. "Fine. But not today. It's probably going to rain soon, so we should probably find shelter."

With great reluctance, Frisk nodded. Chara helped her up, and they made their way to the nearest abandoned house. Chara looked behind him, towards the church one last time. He couldn't help but notice how close to the mountain they were. Shivers shot up his spine, leaving him with the eerie feeling that something was watching them.

-

Chara had been right. It began to rain not too long after they found shelter, and soon after the rain turned torrential. Thunder and lightning played a symphony outside the windows of the house they were staying in. Frisk and her brother had sat in a melancholic silence for a while before she suggested that they got some rest. There had been nothing better to do anyway.

They were sleeping in the living room because Frisk absolutely refused to sleep in the bed of a dead person. It felt almost disrespectful. It only took moments for Chara to be out like a light. Frisk, however, found that sleep was eluding her. It seemed to take centuries for her to finally fall asleep. When she did, her dreams were uneasy.

_She stood in a golden corridor with rising columns and tall glass windows. Her body felt weary, tired, and almost foreign. Everything felt weird, from the way she was moving to the way she was breathing. A golden locket hung from her neck that wasn't hers, yet it was at the same time. Her mind felt fuzzy as if there was static in her brain._

_A voice commanded her. **Move.** So she did. _

_She took in a deep breath, choking a little as she did. She then noticed an air of dust around her. In fact, she was covered in dust. She didn't know how she got like that, but for some reason the dust made her feel nostalgic._

_**He's here.**_

_Who? Frisk wondered. She had a funny feeling that she should know, but she didn't._

_Then, she saw it._

_A dark, shadowy figure standing in front of her, blocking her exit. **In the way.**_

_"It's a beautiful day outside," the figure said, making Frisk want to cry. "Birds are singing, flowers are blooming."_

_Please don't make me do this, Frisk thought._

_"On_ days _like this, kids like you..."_

_Frisk clutched the knife in her hands tighter. She hadn't even noticed that it was there._

_Her vision was filled with blue. " **Should be burning in hell.** "_

Frisk woke with a start, her hands reaching for a locket that wasn't there. She breathed heavily. That...had been strange. Frisk had never had a dream like that before. There was something deeply unsettling about it. 

Lightning flashed through the house, causing Frisk to jump. She looked down to where her brother was (he had insisted that she take the couch and he the floor), only to find that he wasn't there.

Frisk felt her heart leap into her chest. She rubbed her eyes, just to make sure she was seeing correctly. His blankets were thrown all over the place, and his bag was right where he had left it. But Chara still wasn't there.

Frisk leaped off of the couch and began searching through the house. Perhaps she was being paranoid. Perhaps her brother had merely gone to the bathroom or something. But no one was there. No one but her.

Her heart hammered in her chest. Where could he be? He wouldn't just abandon her. That's when Frisk noticed that the front door was slightly ajar. Her blood froze in her veins. He didn't.

Frisk scrambled to the door, yanking it open. The wind snapped at her, the rain falling in every direction. She couldn't see in front of her, let alone her brother. She stomped her foot in frustration. She couldn't even call out his name. Curse her useless vocal cords.

Steeling her nerves, Frisk launched herself into the rain and lightning. She scrambled around blindly, rain soaking her down to her very bones. Thunder echoed all around her, and no sign of her brother. How could she ever hope to find him in all of this?

That's when she heard it. Or rather, _felt_ it. It brushed against her like a pair of fingers caressing her skin. It made her jump. It echoed like a thought in her head. _Come to me._

She felt a pulling sensation, and with nowhere else left to go, she followed it. It led her through the pouring rain and the world-shattering thunder. She walked blindly. Lightning broke through the darkness and Frisk saw the shadows of trees surrounding her. She must be back in the forest. Lightning flashed again, and this time Frisk saw Mt. Ebott. She was going up the mountain.

_Come closer._ The force pulled her further. Her feet sunk into the mud. 

This was starting to get a little too weird for Frisk. _Okay, creepy voice in my head. Where are you taking me, or am I actually going insane?_

 _This way._ It responded.

Ah. Definitely insane then.

Up, up, and up the mountain, she ascended. She began to struggle against the force pulling at her waist like a rope. _I don't have time for this_ , she argued. _I need to find my idiot brother._

_Come this way._

 _Um, how about no._ She dug her feet further into the dirt. The force seemed to be lessening, so she fought harder. Then, just when the force seemed to be letting go, lightning flashed again and Frisk saw the gaping entrance to a cave. Being completely and utterly soaked, Frisk figured shelter was her next best option. She did her best to run towards it, despite the sinking mud and the slope of the mountain slowing her progress. However, she managed to reach the entrance, only falling to her knees two times.

She couldn't see anything in the cave, but it had the strangest scent. She had been expecting moss or the smell of the rain and the forest. Instead, she was met with the scent of rich honey.

Lightning flashed again, lighting up the cave and allowing Frisk a glimpse of a figure standing inside of it. It looked like a person. Could it be?

Again, lightning stroke, confirming Frisk's suspicions. Her heart swelling so much that her eyes welled with tears, Frisk took a step forward. Lightning flashed again, causing Frisk to stop. Her brother was standing in front of a giant hole, with no bottom in sight. His feet were against the edge, and he appeared to be leaning forward. 

_No._ Frisk thought, lurching forward. _No!_

She reached out her hand, reaching out for her brother. _I won't let you,_ she thought desperately. _I won't!_ She wasn't going to let her brother fall. Her fingers grasped his rain-soaked shirt. **She was filled with determin-**

Chara fell forward, and Frisk's grasp on his shirt caused her to fall as well. Lightning filled the cave with light, and for a moment, Frisk thought she saw a different light fill the cave. A light shaped like a star.

Then, they fell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! They fell...okay, that didn't sound good, but you know what I mean. Next chapter is all about the twins' first experience in the underground, so I'm really looking forward to writing it. 
> 
> Small hint: goats.
> 
> If you'd like, leave a comment. I'm interested to know what you guys think. Until next time, lovelies!


	4. Welcome to the Underground

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara and Frisk discover the kingdom beneath the mountain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve been really looking forward to writing about the underground and I hope this turns out well.

Frisk awoke to the sounds of birds chirping and bees buzzing in her ear. She peeled her eyes open, sunlight blinding her. Her head pounded like a drum.

Her whole body protested as she pushed herself off the ground. Looking up, Frisk could see the gaping hole far above her head. It was too far a fall for anyone to survive. Yet, here she was. The events of last night came back to her all at once. The village, the storm, the voice, and...

Frisk took in a sharp breath, looking around frantically for her brother. She spotted him laying just a few feet away from her. She crawled over to him, searching him over. Her heart dropped.

Chara was pale, more so than usual. It was if all the life had been drained from his skin. He was dirtied and bruised, but most alarmingly, had a large gash on his head. His white hair was stained red.

Frisk covered her mouth. No. No, no, no, no, no. This couldn’t be happening. She wouldn’t allow it. She looked around for her bag when she remembered that she had left back in the abandoned house. Oh, confound it all. She thought about tearing off a piece of her shirt to bind his wound, but her shirt was already torn and covered in dirt. Chara would probably get an infection if she used it. 

Frisk frantically scanned the surrounding area. They were in surrounded by flowers and vines hanging from the cavern walls. Could she make anything from flowers and vines? Even if she could, she didn't know how. Her brother needed professional help, and soon. Looking behind her, Frisk saw that the only way out was a path leading deeper into the cave system. 

With a deep breath, Frisk grabbed her brother. She hoisted him up, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She supported his weight on her back, breathing heavily as she did. He was heavier than he looked. Just what the hell had he been eating?

_Don't worry, Char,_ Frisk thought. _I'm not going to let you die. I'm going to save you._ She felt a tight, burning sensation in her chest.

**The thought of saving her brother filled her with determination.**

With wobbling feet, Frisk dragged her brother through the cavern. It opened up into a larger area filled with nothing but dirt and stalactites. At the far end of the cavern was a doorway. It was framed by winding columns and had a strange symbol carved into the top of it. It was a circle encompassed by wings and triangles, two pointing upwards and one down. The sight was oddly familiar. Seeing the doorway made Frisk pause. It seemed out of place amongst the rocks and mounds. She wondered if it was some ruin from the time of the ancient kings.

Chara groaned. Inhaling deeply, Frisk walked through the doorway. The doorway led into a large room made of purple stone. Vines wrapped themselves through cracks in the stone, and the ground was littered with red petals. Twin small stairways led up to another doorway. Okay, so this was definitely some kind of ruin. Oh god, she hoped that it didn't go very far. She didn't know how far she could drag her brother. Nevermind those forsaken stairs. 

Frisk slowly fell to her knees. She panted. Her body was already sore to begin with, and this certainly was not helping. But she had to continue. She had to get her brother help. She _had_ to, because if she didn't, then Chara would...Chara would...

Tears built up and flowed down Frisk's cheeks. She had never felt so helpless in all her life. Not when the children had bullied her, not when the adults had shunned her, not even when the whole world turned against her simply for being the way she was. Back then, she had always had her twin with her, through thick and thin. Chara was always her rock, holding her above a sea that wanted to drag her under. Now, the one person she knew she could always count on was bleeding profusely. She didn't know if he would ever wake again. 

The crinkling of petals caught Frisk's attention. She looked up to see a figure emerging from the doorway. The figure wore a dark purple cloak with golden embroidery that concealed them in darkness. Frisk felt relieved to see another person, but something seemed strange about them. The hood of their cloak seemed to be raised slightly above where their head should as if two horns were holding it up.

The figure froze when they saw Frisk and Chara. They stood at the top of the stairways, as still as stone. Then, faster then Frisk could blink, the figure leaped off the top of the stairs and hurtled towards them. Frisk held Chara tighter as the stranger came to a stop in front of them.

"You're...you're humans," The stranger sounded out of breath. "Why did you come here? Were you...were you called?"

Frisk stared at the stranger. She had no way of responding, not when her hands were devoted to hanging onto Chara. Frisk tilted her head towards her brother.

The stranger finally seemed to notice their injuries. "Oh my stars," The stranger came even closer. "That must have been from the fall."

The stranger reached for Chara, and Frisk stiffened, every cell in her body screaming, _don't touch my brother._ The stranger stopped just a hair's width away from touching Chara's wound.

"This is bad." The figure stated. _No_ , Frisk thought, _You think?_ "We need to get that one to my mother. She'll be able to heal them."

The figure grabbed Chara's other arm, gently trying to pull her brother from her grasp. Frisk held onto him stubbornly. 

"Please," the stranger pleaded. "I want to help them. But I can't if you don't let me."

Frisk bit her bottom lip. This was a complete stranger, and Frisk had no reason to trust them. But she had no other option if she wanted to save her brother's life. She was out of choices. With great reluctance, Frisk allowed the stranger to pull Chara out of her hands.

The stranger stood tall, carrying Chara bridal style. Frisk was finally able to catch a glimpse of the stranger's face, and she covered her mouth with her hand.

"You're not injured too, are you?" The stranger asked.

Frisk merely continued to stare in shock, her heart wildly pounding in her chest.

"Hey, did you hear me?" 

Numbly, Frisk shook her head.

"Okay, that's good. Follow me." The stranger turned back the way they came.

Frisk followed along, shaking like a leaf. She followed whatever it was that _thing_ was.

-

Chara woke to the smell of cinnamon and butterscotch. His stomach rumbled. His head pounded murderously, making him groan. Chara lifted his hands to his head, feeling bandages wrapped it. Just the slight touch caused him to hiss in pain. Slowly, painfully, Chara sat up and looked around. He had been laying on a bed, buried beneath several layers of blankets. He wore purple pajamas, making him feel like a child. 

He was in a small, red bedroom that reminded him of pictures he had seen of cozy cottages in the forest. There were two lamps, a nightstand, and a large wardrobe. On the square, red carpet was a plate with a piece of pie on it. His stomach grumbled appreciatively. He scrambled out of bed to reach for it, aggravating his headache when it finally occurred to him. How did he get there? The last thing he could remember was going to sleep with Frisk in that freaky town, and having yet another nightmare. It was a typical choking to death on flowers dream, but it had shifted near the end. One moment he was coughing up blood, and the next he was walking through the forest with rain pouring down on him. A voice had been shouting at him as boisterously as the thunder. He made it to a cave, where he was greeted by nothing but darkness. His chest had burned and a blinding light had filled his vision. Then, everything had gone dark again. 

Another thought came to Chara. Where the fuck was his sister? His heart thundered in his chest. He ignored the pie (much to his stomach's protest) and ran out of the room. He ran down the hallway, which led into a large room where...

Chara came to a screeching halt, backing away from the room. There was a large figure standing in the center of the room, much taller than Chara. It wore a cloak, obscuring its features. It took off its cloak and...

Chara choked back a startled scream. It was a goat. At least, that was the closest thing Chara could think of that resembled the beast. It was covered in white fur, with long floppy ears and two small black horns on top of its head. Chara looked down, expecting hooves, but instead saw feet that ended in claws. It wore a plain black t-shirt and jeans underneath the cloak. A small tall peaked out from behind the jeans. Chara's mind hung up on one word: monster.

Chara remained hidden in the shadows of the hallway, breathing quickly. It couldn't be. Monsters weren't real. They were just stories parent's told their children when they wanted to scare them into behaving. But it was the only thing Chara could think of. Did that...thing kidnap him? Did it have his sister too?

The monster hung its cloak on a coat rack that was too close to Chara for his liking. The monster turned around, heading towards a room away from Chara. It took a split second for Chara's body to react on its own. He grabbed the coat rack, struggling with its weight a little and his injuries. He lifted it over his shoulder like a bat and approached the monster from behind. Unfortunately, the monster chose that time to turn around.

The monster screamed, tripping over its own feet as it tried to back away. "Holy shit!" it yelled.

Chara's mouth hung agape. Holy fuck it could talk.

Determined still, Chara lifted the coat rack with every intention of beating the monster's head in.

The monster held out its hand. "Wait, wait, wait, wait!" it yelled hurriedly. The light seemed to shimmer in the monster's hand, then a long, white blade appeared in its grasp.

Chara actually gasped this time. What the hell was that? That...that wasn't possible. It looked suspiciously like magic, but magic no longer existed.

"Just calm down," the monster, goat, _thing_ held its sword out. "I don't want to hurt you."

It took a moment for Chara to re-discover his voice. "Who are you?" Chara demanded. "What are you? Where am I? Where's my sister?"

"Just calm down, please," The creature slowly pushed itself off the ground, the blade remaining trained on Chara. "We can talk, but first, put the coat rack down. You're freaking me out."

Chara almost laughed at the absurdity of it all. He? Was freaking the monster out? That was not how these things worked. Chara was the one who was supposed to be freaked out, and boy was he. In defiance, Chara held onto the coat rack tighter. 

The monster sighed. Then, faster than Chara could even track, the monster lunged forward and cut the coat rack in half. Chara held the two broken pieces in his hands.

"There," the monster said. "Now, at least, you can't beat me with it."

Chara glared at the beast, holding the two pieces up. He may not be able to pass the monster's brains in properly, but he could still stab it repeatedly with the sharp ends of the coat rack.

As Chara prepared to make his own attack, someone walked out of the room behind the monster, carrying a large tray filled with pie. Frisk looked up and her eyes widened. The twins stared at each other.

"Frisk?" Chara still wasn't sure he wasn't dreaming.

Frisk looked from her brother to the broken coat rack in his hands, to the monster. Then, his sister fixed him with a glare. That caught him off guard. Why was she glaring at him? Did she just miss the _huge freakin monster_ standing in front of him?

Shaking her head, Frisk walked over to the monster, ignoring Chara's step forward. She handed the monster her tray. She then glared at her brother, her hands moving.

_Just what do you think you are doing?_

"Dreaming, apparently," Chara replied. "Just what the fuck is going on?"

_There's no need to swear. Chara, this Asriel Dreemurr. He brought us here._ She gestured to the monster beside her.

Oh great. Now monsters had names. Sure, why not?

"Asriel Dreemurr?" Chara tried out the name.

The monster beamed, "That's me. It's nice to meet you, but I can say I've never had someone threaten me with a coat rack before. And you're Chara, right?"

Chara immediately went on alert again, "How did you..."

Rolling her eyes, Frisk pointed to herself. 

The monster nodded. "Yeah, Frisk told us everything. We didn't really understand the thing that she does with her hands, so she wrote everything down on paper."

Of course, she did. Leave to Frisk to immediately try to make friends with monsters.

Something caught Chara's attention. "Us?"

The monster, Asriel, nodded. "Yeah. You were in really bad shape after the fall, but my mom fixed you up. You're actually really lucky, you know. If we had waited any longer, you might have died." Oh, even better. There was more than one monster. This day just kept getting better and better.

"Fall?"

Frisk furrowed her eyebrows. _You really don't remember?_

"No. That's why I'm asking."

_You climbed up the mountain in the middle of the storm. You walked into this cave with a giant hole in it. I tried to stop you, but we toppled over the edge. I didn't get hurt much, but you had a really nasty gash on your head. You were bleeding, but Asriel helped carry you here. He saved your life, so try to show a little more gratitude_. She added that last part sternly.

It disturbed Chara a great deal that the dream hadn't entirely been a dream. Maybe he was slowly starting to lose his mind. Subconsciously, he lifted his hand to brush against the bandages.

"You said he carried me here, but where exactly is 'here'." Chara gestured around them.

A wide smile broke across the monster's face (snout?). "Oh, I can show you around if you want," it said excitedly. "I already showed Frisk the Ruins, but I don't mind showing you too. That is, of course, if you're feeling up for it. Healing magic can only do so much, so your body may not be ready for it yet. Humans typically need a long time to recover from injuries like that, I think."

Chara glanced at Frisk. She gave him a look that spoke volumes, and she didn't even have to sign. _Do it, or I'll make that head injury look like nothing._

Sighing, Chara shrugged, "Yeah, sure, whatever. If I can walk and talk, then I can survive a tour."

Chara could practically feel the waves of excitement rolling off of the monster. "Great. Trust me, you're really going to like it," The monster frowned. "But you're going to have to leave those," it pointed to the coat rack pieces. "You'll make some of the others uncomfortable."

Chara was tempted to tell him to fuck off. If there were more monsters around, then no way in hell was he going to walk around without any protection. But one glare from his sister was all that it took.

Huffing, Chara threw them to the ground, "Fine."

The monster, damn it, _Asriel_ smiled. "That's much better. Are you ready Frisk?"

Frisk held up a finger, dashing back into the room she had arrived from. A few moments later, she emerged with a small red wagon that was overflowing with pies. She then made a thumbs up. 

"Great. Everyone's going to love these," the monster cheered. 

Chara still wasn't convinced he wasn't dreaming.

The monster walked over to the front door, swinging it open. He waved his arm out dramatically. "As one of the Caretakers of the Ruins, it is my pleasure to welcome you, Frisk and Chara, to the Underground."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, I love the Underground. Can't wait to explore the ruins in the next chapter.  
> I'm going to try to update this work consistently, alternating between this one and another one of my works. We'll see how it plays it.
> 
> If you don't mind, please leave a comment. I'm curious to see what you guys think of this piece so far. Until next time, lovelies!


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